


The Lemonade Stand

by ChurchOfTommo



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-30 22:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5182256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChurchOfTommo/pseuds/ChurchOfTommo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A one-shot based on a prompt from @inkedfondness over at Twitter:</p>
<p>AU: I stop at your stupid lemonade stand every day. I don't even like lemonade! Get the freaking hint and date me!</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/inkedfondness/status/663898080782118912</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lemonade Stand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inkedfondness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkedfondness/gifts), [@genuineleeds on Twitter](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=%40genuineleeds+on+Twitter).



Louis turned up the street towards his loft, hands in the pocket of his hoodie to keep out the chill nipping at his fingers. He had so much to do before tomorrow... his paper was due, and his boss at work had him working a double shift after class; he still hadn't done his laundry, and he was down to a pair of high-waters his mother had bought him two years ago, and a pair of grey sweatpants that were unraveling around the ankles, and damned if he didn't forget to pay the electric bill again, he'd be lucky if the heat worked when he got-

His train of thought derailed, and he nearly tripped over the uneven cobblestone when he caught sight of the familiar yellow and green lemonade cart taking up half the sidewalk, several feet ahead.

It had been there nearly every day throughout the summer and even into the fall, this obnoxious, bright eyesore with the enormous umbrella, dotted with lemons, that hung just a touch too low (Louis had bumped his head on it at least half a dozen times). When it had started to really cool down, it had disappeared.

Now it wasn't so much the awful neon monstrosity, blocking a perfectly usable section of walking real estate, or the concussion inducing umbrella that Louis had missed, and it certainly wasn't the too-tart lemonade he'd spent his hard earned money on every day. It was the far sweeter, and much easier on the eyes, gentleman who ran the cart.

Today, much like every other meeting, brought a gaggle of excited butterflies swarming through Louis' stomach. He chided himself, when at first he didn't seen the dark hair and broad shoulders. Don't be ridiculous, he thought, no one could make a living doing that. But just as he began to wonder who they'd convinced to replace the citrus Adonis that had once graced the sidewalk near his house, a deep, familiar voice came from his left.

“Long time, no see.”

“Jesus!” Louis cried, hands rocketing from his pocket to defend himself. The grin that had crinkled his assailant's deep green eyes faded, and he raised his hands in apology.

“Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you.” Louis' heart, which had been racing in preparation to punch someone in the face, picked up pace for an entirely different reason. He lowered his arms and sighed, relieved.

“No. Not- I was... Lost in thought.” He stammered. “Harry, right?” The taller man nodded. “You're back.” Louis added, before backtracking and pointing toward the cart a few steps ahead. “With the cart.”

“Yeah.” Harry stubbed his toe against a loose cobblestone, and shoved his hands into the pockets of his black coat. “I had some... changes to make. To the recipe.” He waited a bit, while Louis nodded dumbly, before he glanced up through long lashes. “Would you like to try it?”

“Oh, yeah! Of course.” Louis probably would have agreed to move to Calcutta and start a chicken farm had this man asked him, looking like that. Frankly, he was getting off easy, especially when that smile reappeared and the dimples Louis hadn't realized he'd missed so much dotted his cheeks. Louis followed the man back to the cart, narrowly avoiding knocking his forehead against the seam of the canvas overhead. He watched as Harry's large hands, ringed fingers, and chipped-colored nails, lifted a pitcher and filled a disposable cup.

“I was wondering what had scared you off.” Louis teased, taking the drink offered to him and producing two dollars from his pocket. He made no move to drink it.

“Not scared.” Lips quirked into a playful smirk, and Louis cleared his throat, eyes darting elsewhere. He tried a different tactic.

“It's cooling down. Didn't think I'd see you around till at least the spring.”

“Yeah, there really isn't much of a demand for cold, refreshing beverages once the gloves and caps come out.” Those sparkling green eyes were burning into him, Louis could feel them even without looking.

“Yeah...” There was silence for a few seconds, punctuated only by the skittering of dried leaves across the sidewalk.

“Can I ask you something?” Louis' eyes moved back to the man's handsome face, the barest trace of a smile still playing at the edges of his lips.

“Shoot.” Was it getting warm? Louis suddenly felt a little heated in his hoodie.

“Why do you stop here?” And surely the pink of Louis' cheeks was from the cool October breeze.

“You know... for a drink.” He held up the cup as if to illustrate. Harry nodded.

“Mhm...” He placed his hands on the cart and leaned forward, slightly closer to Louis who was standing on the other side. “I can't help but notice... that you never actually drink the lemonade.”

Well... shit. Louis glanced at the cup he hadn't so much as brought to his lips and blinked.

“Of course, I drink them.” He defended after a beat too long, lifting the cup and downing the sour liquid in one swig. He fought every muscle in his face that wanted to contort into shock and disgust at the intensity of it, his eyes watering. Harry's smile only grew.

“What is so funny?” Louis was getting, maybe, just a little tiffed. How dare this guy accuse him of something he clearly did!

“You.” Harry answered, coming around the cart and lifting a napkin to Louis' face. Louis froze as the gentle hand dabbed at the corner of his eye, where a rogue tear had escaped and was cutting a path down his cheek. “If you hate it so much, why do you keep buying it?” He took Louis' hand and pressed the napkin into it. Louis was pretty certain he'd forgotten how to speak English, realizing seconds later that he hadn't responded, and he was still kind of holding the guy's hand.

“You.” He repeated Harry's last answer back to him. He had the decency to look startled, at least. Louis opened and closed his mouth a few times, like a fish out of water, before plowing ahead. “I mean, the first day I saw you here, everyone was ignoring you, and you were trying so hard to sell this lemonade, and I mean, you're what, 20, who even has lemonade stands at 20? But you looked so distraught I couldn't NOT buy a cup, you know?”

Harry's berry pink lips had formed a sort of comical “o” shape as he listened.

“And that pout, and those frown lines disappeared as soon as I asked for one, and...” He shrugged, losing momentum and shrinking into himself a little. “Then I decided I kind of liked the way you smiled every time I showed up, even if I did throw it out the second I rounded the corner.”

The trees rustled nearby, but otherwise everything was still. Louis glanced down to where their hands were still clutched around the napkin.

“I was gone for a month... because I was trying to improve the recipe, so you wouldn't waste your money.” Harry's voice was barely more than a whisper. He was chewing on the inside of his lip. Louis' blue eyes caught his green and he squeezed the larger hand softly. That was... ridiculous. This whole thing was ridiculous. Louis licked his lips and cocked his head to the side to look up at the taller man.

“Did you want to come to my place for something warm to drink?” Harry's face broke into a wide grin.

“I thought you'd never ask.” Louis smiled, tossing the napkin away and entwining his fingers with Harry's again. He took two steps and paused.

“Oh, but what about-” He motioned to the cart. Harry chuckled.

“You're my only customer.”


End file.
